NEW ORLEANS, La. (3/2/18) – The 2018 Sun Belt Conference Indoor Track & Field Champions earned three more honors Friday as the league office announced Jaylen Bacon as the Most Outstanding Track Performer, Carter Shell as the Freshman and Newcomer of the Year and head coach Jim Patchell the Men’s Coach of the Year.

Bacon swept the 60-meter and 200-meter dash to score 20 points for A-State and he became the first A-State sprinter to sweep those titles at a conference indoor championships. The 60-meter dash title was the first for Bacon after second place finishes in 2015 and 2017 and a third place finish in 2016. He won the 60-meter dash in 6.62 seconds before posting a school record time of 21.02 seconds to win the 200-meter dash.

Shell had quite the freshman debut as he placed second in both the long and triple jump at the indoor championships. Shell was second in the long jump with a mark of 7.44m (24-05.00) and second in the triple jump at 14.72m (48-03.50). This marks the third time in the last four seasons an A-State freshman has earned these honors.

Patchell earns Sun Belt Coach of the Year honors for the fifth time. Patchell guided the men’s squad to an indoor title for the second time in his tenure. The indoor championship marked the first since 2015 and third overall men's title since Patchell took control of the program.

Jaylen Bacon and Itamar Levi continue indoor competition at the 2018 NCAA Championships March 9-10 in College Station, Texas. Outdoor season begins March 16 at the Horned Frog Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas.